Emerald Eyes
by Hermonthis
Summary: Shang/Mulan - A sorcerer prince has stolen Mulan away from her home, and only Shang will be able to save her. Problem is, who is this new baby boy in her arms? Warning: old fandom, old crack, only good for entertainment.
1. Inauguration of the Prince

**Originally written:** August 10, 2002 (11:22pm)

**Author's Note:** This is the very shortened version of a Mulan fanfic that was in progress. The writing process has been abandoned but the story was transformed into poetry: both free verse and prose. Watchout for parallels of Disney's _Beauty & the Beast._

**Attn: **Due to the site's new programming, all the spaces between the stanzas were removed. Paragraphs are now separated by "ooo". It's silly, I know, but what can you do?

**EMERALD EYES**

**Part One— Inauguration of the Prince**

* * *

_Alone. Mu-lan is left to her thoughts._

_Silent. Whose child is this she bears?_

_Stay. In this foreign castle of wooden doors and cold stonewalls._

_Live. Just live. For you and your secret burden._

_But. Who will come for you?_

_She panics._

ooo

Fa Mu-lan returned home from war to the sounds of sparkling hoof beats on dirt-laden ground.

Father, Mother, Grandmother, and Little Brother radiated relief and joy for their Mu-lan had finally come home.

"She may be a war hero but she will always be my daughter." Fa Zhou says.

Arrive a man on a warhorse, red cape swirling in the sand.

"Please, sir. Stay with us."

The soft-spoken Captain could not put a strong pose in front of the girl he adored.

"Dinner would be great."

ooo

Return to the dark-eyed matchmaker with Shang by her side.

"Fa Mu-lan, I have found you a match."

A young farmer's boy with respectable heritage and one who surprisingly adores the girl.

Mu-lan stays quiet and accepts her fate with humility and dignity.

This is not what she wants and fakes cheerfulness.

But the Captain's head is torn in two.

Quiet daughter is sad to see her companion upset so suddenly.

_'We are only friends.'_ she thinks desolately.

ooo

Enter the Huns with a sorcerer prince.

Revenge for their fallen leader and fallen war.

"Mu-lan and Li Shang must not be together, and the fall of the Emperor is ours."

The Prince is curious about the warrior child and wants to take her away.

ooo

When night embarks, the Captain cannot sleep; he doesn't want Mu-lan to leave him.

Dreaming of her, he walks to where she is, half-asleep beside the pond and whispers her name.

Under the prince's delusional, demanding spell, he declares to the dreamy form.

"I want you," and tries to kiss her.

She becomes frightened and runs away.

Imagining the snowy mountains and him with the sword above her.

The sorcerer prince laughs at the bewildered Captain; doesn't he know Mu-lan is his?

ooo

In the market Shang sees Mu-lan and approaches her, wary.

Mu-lan is nervous but convinces herself,

_'It was nothing but a dream.'_

Forgetting last night they laugh and be merry.

Until farmer's son comes to see Mu-lan and takes her away.

Shang grimaces despite himself for the boy had made her laugh...

ooo

The Huns are at the Wall and Captain Li is asked to protect China once more.

Mu-lan will not go with him this time.

"She must stay to keep the family honour and not to run off again."

Daughter wishes him the best and prays for him while the sorcerer prince schemes to take her mind off the Captain.

Instead, the farmer boy has underhandedly replaced Shang.

To go for moonlight walks with her.

ooo

The tired Captain returns to the village to see his beloved, but to hear heartbreak.

"Someone has proposed to Fa Mu-lan," while he was gone.

"And she is wiling to accept."

Shang has won the battle but lost his heart.

Before he plans to go back to the city he goes to a woodland lake where _'they'_ used to train and play.

Mu-lan enters the scene but sees nobody in sight.

_Sighs._

She had almost fallen in love, almost.

But her heart wanted someone else.

ooo

Sorcerer prince comes out of the shadows, in the flesh, and holds her hands.

But instead, Mu-lan sees only Shang in front of her.

Rejecting his plan to take her away tonight, the prince tells Mu-lan,

"Will you be mine?"

A hidden Shang flinches in pain to witness another man kiss Mu-lan.

He leaves silently.

ooo

Teary-eyed, Mu-lan returned from the matchmaker to go to the farmer's house.

"I'm sorry, goodbye," she says.

She could not love him, the boy, gentle as he was.

For she wanted someone else.

ooo

Running home, Shang is in no mood for her games and false words of love.

"I saw you with another man!" he yells and rides away heartbroken.

The sorcerer prince laughs at his reflection—

The Captain is gone.

ooo

At the battle front Shang has become an empty shell, nothing for him can be trusted.

Slaying enemy Huns, spilling blood on the ground, he has lost all sense of humanity.

"All because of her." He spits in contempt and refuses to speak her name.

Captain Li has become a pawn of war.

ooo

When three friends come to the Fa household to ask for the warrior woman's assistance.

Mu-lan reluctantly goes — but before she arrives at the army.

They are ambushed and Mu-lan stolen from them.

News rushes like wildfire throughout China.

"Fa Mu-lan is missing and is said to have been taken captive by a man with green eyes,

who looks likeGeneral Li Shang."

Upon hearing of her disappearance, the Captain's eyes soften.

It wasn't her fault she had to return to battle, the Emperor had called for her.

He went off to search for her, alone.

ooo

Frightened Mu-lan is alone in a castle; a strange looking stone palace with torch-lit corridors and shallow portrait paintings.

She cowers when her captor stands over her, hands outstretched, reaching towards her body.

But pulls back his hood to reveal a face with a likeness toher Li Shang.

— And green eyes.

He laughs manically and takes her lovingly by the hand.

The sorcerer prince has won.

ooo

In a golden temple a small dragon awakes, ashes spurting from his red nostrils.

He goes off in search for his girl.

"Don't worry baby, Mushu's comin' to get you!"

And goes to find Khan.

ooo

Shang rides alone in the Tung Shou Pass.

Foolish and in love he is determined to find some trace of his Mu-lan.

But the snow triumphs over his drained body.

ooo

"You cannot keep me here," the woman protests, she had to go back home.

But magic prevents her from ever stepping out of the castle grounds.

Mu-lan clenches her fists.

"What does he want?"

ooo

Months pass and peace has resided in China, except in the Fa household.

Mu-lan is still missing and Li Shang can't find her anywhere.

"I'm sorry, I failed in finding her." He answers to a weeping mother and ailing father.

The grandmother just nods her solemn head.

And the Captain leaves the kitchen to wander near the shores of the lake.

Where they used to play.

Grandmother steps onto the cold temple floor.

Praying again for her granddaughter's safe return.

"Give us a sign that she can look forward to.

A sign that will protect her from harm."

ooo

"Chin Tiu, when will you let me go?" a woman asks, now familiar to the stone walls around her.

The sorcerer prince shakes his head and surprises her with exotic yellow flowers, a simple gesture with the wave of his hand.

"I can't let you go."

Mu-lan accepts the flowers and dutifullywalks back to her room.

"Can you forgive me, Li Shang?" she asks the full moon, shining through her window.

Her stomach aches terribly and she starts to cry.

Will no one find her?

ooo

"Hey girl, where have you been?" a red blur popped in front of her.

"Mushu! I thought I'd never see you again."

Happy reunion lifted the heart of Mu-lan then she grew apprehensive,

"Mushu, I am with child."


	2. Redemption of Souls

**EMERALD EYES**

**PartTwo — Redemption of Souls

* * *

**

_Alone. Mu-lan is left to her thoughts._

_Silent. The child of bliss she bears._

_Stay. In this familiar castle of wooden doors and cold stone walls._

_Breathe. Just breathe. For you and your exposed burden._

_But. Will he come for you?_

_He panics._

ooo

"Mu-lan, please tell me you're joking, please tell me you're lying," small dragon begs.

She shakes her head and bites her lip, holding the presently flat stomach.

She doesn't know what to do, or where it came from.

Little dragon hugs his charge, for she needs you here.

_Cursed._

Sorcerer prince does not know what is happening.

_That's what she is_.

Shang sits by the lake, unknowing.

ooo

Little red guardian disappears behind the curtains.

Chin Tiu arrives at her door waiting patiently.

Lady Mu-lan goes with him to the dinner table.

Will the baby protect her?

Hushed words — none spoken at the meal and the prince asks,

"What is wrong my Lady?"

With strong face and secreted eyes she replies,

"I want to go home."

The prince has had enough; he had given her comfort, care, food, shelter.

He bangs fists on the table — every night asks for her devotion —

She will be his and roars to the burning fire,

"You are mine! You will not leave!"

Mu-lan walks alone to her room and talks to guardian.

He must find Li Shang and get word to him.

Time is not with her.

ooo

The Captain is watching the moon's reflection on water.

And sees a bright blur in the clear glass pool.

Little dragon takes his arm and goes to water.

There he must find Mu-lan.

ooo

Solitary lady sits on her bed and wonders.

Why was she given this burden?

Sorcerer prince cannot touch her, he never will, but how long until the timer runs dry and she submits to being a bride?

Chin Tiu watches her secretly; there is something she hides.

Until he solves her riddle until he wins her heart.

He has to change her mind.

Casting a spell, he will change her mind, he will!

But can't.

Another being is blocking the way.

Another soul.

ooo

Come the Captain on Lady's horse and dragon in the dark of night.

Mu-lan will not remain prisoner under any spell.

Full moon guides the champion to the white castle.

Both protectedby Grandmother Fa's pleas of help.

He arrives at the fortress and climbs through her window.

She is not there.

ooo

Sorcerer prince has become mad with jealousy; someone else is blocking his way.

_A soul?_

Someone has taken claim of her, and it was not he.

Locks up Mu-lan in a tower, she will learn to respect him, to love him.

And she will come willingly to his arms.

ooo

Li Shang climbs over the window to her room, finding all things strange.

He sees Chin Tiu walk past a corridor, key in hand.

What has he done with her?

ooo

Mu-lan grows weary in her confined apartments and feels faint.

A week past and she is let out again, Chin Tiu tries to make her forgive him for his foolish anger.

But sees a small swollen stomach and knows.

Carrying weak Mu-lan to her bedchamber he takes care of her.

Months pass and the unborn grows.

ooo

Li Shang hasstayed in the shadows.

Watching the prince around him and cries to the ancestors,

_'What have you done to her? Is she to belong to another?'_

Feel betrayed, lost, and forgotten.

He has to talk to her now.

Approaching the sleeping lady he doesn't want Mu-lan to leave him.

Dreaming of him, she imagines he's there and he whispers her name.

Under Eros' delusional, demanding spell, he declares to the dreamy form.

_"Love, I still can't let you go."_

Mu-lan wakes, becomes frightened and wants to run away.

Imagining the sorcerer prince has come for her.

Her anxieties are quelled when he consoles her nightmares.

But Shang has seen the engorged abdomen and stares at her in fear.

"Mu-lan." All that the Captain manages to say,

Wounded.

ooo

Misinterpretingthe terror in her eyes he tries to understand her pain

Wanting to caress her, but Mu-lan turns away afraid.

And unwanted.

Her burden protecting her from the wrath of the prince but shunning her from Shang.

"Leave me," she commands and he goes.

Lady Mu-lan is disheartened for the child has condemned her to a life of solitude.

ooo

Chin Tiu comes back to check on the Lady with a tray of food in his hands.

Mu-lan can hardly get up now.

Shang watches in the shadows andbelieves the child isn't his.

Attempting to rationalizeher plight.

"Let me go home," she asks.

"You are to be my wife," he orders harshly.

"You can't touch me, this child is not yours!"

_Li Shang's eyes grow wide._

"That child will grow up to have me as a father! That son will be mine!" he bellows -

and aims to strike.

"This baby is Li Shang's!" she cries in desperation, anything to save the unborn,

and itstopped his hand.

Sorcerer prince leaves the room in a rage, that child will be his.

ooo

Little dragon comes out of hiding and tells Shang to get Mu-lan away.

She is in mortal danger with the child coming so soon.

The sorcerer prince will take them both.

ooo

Under candle's light Shang arouses sleepy Mu-lan.

With red guardian's help they get her on Khan and ride away.

To get as far away from the prince as possible.

Mu-lan sleeps in his arms.

ooo

In the morning Chin Tiu is in a deadly craze, she is gone.

Blinded by anger he searches for an answer and in a bowl of water finds a shadow of a Captain holding his Lady on a horse.

Gathering his cloak, he chases after them.

He will kill Shang, he will kill Mu-lan, and he will kill the baby.

ooo

Coldness has sprung on Mu-lan and Shang in the Tung Shou Pass.

Stopping in the snow, she respires heavily, it's near.

Holding his cloak around her, she lays her sweat-beaded forehead on him.

"I'm sorrys" she says,

"I wasn't strong enough to ask for forgiveness."

Shang smiles and Mushu makes a fire.

Mu-lan and her child's health is all that matters now.

In the snow she reveals her secret,

"I don't know whose child I carry."

The Captain takes her face in his hands and blesses her.

"If you would allow me to — I would be like —

— To be his father."

Mu-lan weeps with joy.

ooo

Sorcerer prince has seen his Lady and the Captain dozing off together.

Maddened and powerful, he causes a storm to blow and goes after the Captain with a sword.

Shang wakens and sees the red prince — taking Mu-lan into his arms he lays her on Khan's saddle and orders Mushu to hide her

"Come back to me," she whispers, determined.

He squeezes her hand one last time then Khan is off.

ooo

Prince and Captain fight sword to sword, both surprisingly equal.

Physical punches no help in the snow.

But Chin Tiu gains upper hand when a ball of white strikes Shang in the face, blinding him.

Stepping on an overhanging rock, Shang steps backwards.

Chin Tiu raises his sword.

And Shang fallsinto the abyss.

Into silence.

ooo

Chin Tiu pulls Shang's cloak over his face and goes after Mu-lan.

Mu-lan had to stop Khan for the time had come.

Kneeling over, she clutched her burden and shut her eyes in anguish.

Praying to the ancestors for mercy, Mu-lan bit her lip to curb the screaming inside her.

It was time.

ooo

Sorcerer prince had sword ready and loomed over a body lying in the snow.

She had to die. Mu-lan had left him alone.

Coming closer, he hid the sword behind his back.

"Shang? Come look." An exhausted voice.

Stepping out into the light of the fire, he stopped.

Mu-lan was holding a bundle in her arms, and cooing gently to it.

Chin Tiu's heart shattered.

ooo

The Lady looked up at the one in front of her and saw the sword.

Too weak to stand up, she held the child closer to her bosom, waiting.

The sword dropped.

Chin Tiu kneeled beside Mu-lan and looked into her eyes.

He looked at the closed eyes of the little one and back to hers.

"Where's Shang?"

He humbly removed the cape and covered her and the child with it.

"He's dead."

A tear falls down.

ooo

Holding Khan by the reigns, the Prince brought Mu-lan back to the castle where her body recovered.

Melancholy, the Lady walked the halls in a trance, always holding her child.

Shang was gone, he fought for her, he fell. He's gone.

_"He's dead."_


	3. Lover's Memory

**EMERALD EYES**

**PartThree — Lover's Memory

* * *

**

_Chin Tiu could not take Mu-lan, or her child, but he took away her Shang._

_How could she find it within herself to forgive him?_

_He knew she felt pity for his lonely life and became ashamed._

_This was no way for it to end._

_No way for her to end._

_She had changed him with her small gift._

_Shattered hisbitter heart._

_Forgave him. He still could not understand._

_This was no way for it to end._

_No way for her to end._

ooo

Lady Mu-lan gazed sadly at the moon the first night back at the castle.

The baby started to cry for her touch and she picked him up.

Her joy in the world, and she smiled just for him.

"Hush, my little one."

Rocking him gently, waltzing around in her familiar bedchamber.

The moonbeams fall on her.

She gazes at the starlit sky.

_The moon._

"Shang."

ooo

"Mu-lan, come with me." Chin Tiu asked of her.

Walking through the corridors, arrived at his own chambers.

Opening the wooden doors, a sickly sweet smell reached her senses.

It's choking her, enshrouding her in colourful whisps of the gypsy clans.

Bubbling pool of water steamed from the centre of the room.

Chin Tiu smiled at the Lady and her child.

Chanting low, a mist formed around the lady and felt dizzy.

"Give me the child." The sorcerer ordered.

Willingly, she gave the boy to his open arms and collapsed on the carpet floor.

Sickly sweet smell overtaking her senses and taking her back in time.

It's choking her.

A darkness falls over her lips.

ooo

Opened eyes, Mu-lan waded through the moving snow, folding arms for warmth.

A clash of silvershe saw -two shadows in motion throughthe blanket of hailing snow.

Saw a flash of white and someone move sideways.

She ran.

The sound of metal upon metal that made her head ache and lips quiver.

Another flash of white and someone shouted in pain.

She ran.

Near the edge of the overhang, a glimpse of Shang's bloodied shoulder ashe tore off his red cape.

Frenzied, incensed — Chin Tiu formed another ball of white and hid it behind his back, waiting.

Mu-lan lunged herself at the prince and the ball of white struck her full in the stomach.

The baby.

Mu-lan opened her mouth to scream but no sound, she looked at Chin Tiu with agonizing pain and fell before him.

Her stomach was withering, twisting, contorting as the life inside fought to stay alive.

Little dragon, shouting hysterically, so distant and muted to her ears.

Shadows standing over her.

Arms reaching for her.

"Go away," she whimpered at the imaginary ghosts.

"Leave me alone," she begged.

White snow,

White light,

_White faces._

Red blurs,

Red capes,

Red lips,

_Red blood._

ooo

"Come on, honey, wake up." Guardian says.

Cold liquid touches her lips and make her sputter and cough.

"My baby!" she screams.

Shang just looks at her strangely and puts a hand on her forehead.

_"What?"_

Mu-lan cringes and sees a small stomach.

"Where is he? My boy?"

Hyperventilating and hysterical she is held down.

Words of comfort cannot soothe the anguished.

"What happened?" laments Mu-lan.

Li Shang sweeps Mu-lan into his arms and carries her to a ballroom.

ooo

The castle, back in the white castle

Everything has changed. Everything is white and harmonious

And happy.

Settling down on a velvet chair, she is left alone facing the open windows, looking over the rose gardens.

The Lady strokes the fabric over her stomach; there is no bulge or feeling inside.

"I want to cry."

Hours past she fell asleep in the chair, still facing the white windows.

Clutching her tummy.

Mumbling lullabies to an imaginary bundle in her arms.

Exchange joyful words to her parents who hug and kiss her.

Making her grandmother smile again.

Picturing a tall man cradling a baby lovingly.

Hearing a little one's soft breathing.

Touching the little one's tiny nose.

_Seeing the little one smile in his sleep._

ooo

"Mu-lan?"

Woken from the reverie, there are green eyes staring at her.

"Are you alright?"

She felt a blanket around her and clutched it close to her body.

_'No.'_

Shang kneels down in front of her and fixes her loose strands of hair.

"Here he is," green-eyed one says, presenting a parcel of fabric to her.

Her child.

For the first time in days, she smiled and laughed when her little one sighed in her arms.

She has changed the past, her life had been spared.

Shang's life had been spared.

And the child was fine.

ooo

"You're not staying with us?" Mu-lan asks.

Bowing his head low, he refuses.

"I have to go, to another place, another time, another life."

Chin Tiu holds the baby, last time, and hands him back to Mu-lan.

"May you be happy," she says.

Shang and Mu-lan watches as Chin Tiu steps away, and disappears.

Feet fading and sparkles radiating from the sorcerer prince.

In the rose gardens, the white castle begins to wane and evaporate to whiteness.

Before he's completely gone, the prince directed,

"You two are now one. Once this is gone, your world will return back in time. Before all of this happened, before I took you away.But this child of the future is yours."

Mu-lan inquires softly,

"What about you?"

"— You could choose to remember me?" he asks humbly,

— Or just disappear from your memories."

Mu-lan smiles and leans on Shang's shoulder.

Red dragon and horse packed to go.

"Of course we will remember you," Shang answers.

One last look at the castle.

The roses.

The lake.

Chin Tiu, the sorcerer prince, had vanished.

* * *

**Author's notes:** Many of you who reviewed mentioned the confusion in this last chapter with all the time-travel. I've tweaked and added little notes to it, I hope that helps. Simple explanation: Chin Tiu sends Mulan back to the moment right before Shang dies. At the end of our story, our princely prince leave China and with his last remaining powers, sends Mulan and Shang back in time (back to the first chapter actually) where he impersonated Shang by the lakeand therefore kissed Mulan, starting the whole relationship to go into cahoots. So yes, the baby is theirs and does have Shang/Mulan's eyes (or lack of green coloured eyes) and that this was the sign Grandmother Fa asked for, in addition to Mushu's reawakening.

Imagine, this was originally intended to be a fanfic... and people say that poetry is confusing.


End file.
